The Sword of Iskandar: Part Four U2
by Gillen1962
Summary: Across the globe the couples of Port Charles are in conversation. Ava and Sonny meet for the first time since Sonny's fall. Lucky needs to have a serious conversation with Soumia. Drew and Serena are about to traverse the along the Accursed Mountains. Are Jason and Carly still friends? And Nisida and Dev chat


_The Sword of Iskandar: Part Four U2_

Lucky Spencer paced up and down across his living room. He mumbled to himself, then occasionally sat and wrote on a pad. He got up and paced some more.

Nisida, the young Albanian Girl who had recently come into his and his girlfriend Soumia Al-Fayheed's care came down the floating staircase. She stopped at the middle of the staircase and watched Lucky for a moment.

"Can I ask what you are doing?" She said after a moment.

Lucky stopped pacing and looked up at her. "Nothing, I'm not doing anything."

Nisida moved her head from side to side "Funny it looked like you were talking to yourself."

"NO!"

Nisida shrugged. "Is Soumia down in her lab?"

"Yes." Lucky said.

"Could you tell her that I am going over to see Cameron but that I promise to be home in time for dinner, she and I are making couscous."

"No Problem." Lucky said. "Do you need bus fair or anything?"

"No thanks, I am good, but speaking of money. Rovena offered me a Part Time Waitress job at Kelly's, can I take it?"

Lucky smiled. Maybe he was finally getting this parenting thing down. "No problem but remember you are staring GED classes at PCU at the beginning of next month."

Nisida nodded and then walked over to Lucky and whispered. "Can I see the ring?"

"What ring?" He said quickly.

"The one you are going to give Soumia when you ask her to marry you"

"What makes you think I am going to do that?" Lucky said with a smirk.

"Because you were pacing down here, so you were either rehearsing what you were going to say or talking to rocks again and you promised not to talk to rocks again."

Lucky smiled and hugged the girl lightly. "You can see it right after she does. Sorry"

Nisida nodded. "Can't blame a girl for trying. I hope she says yes. She will say yes, won't she?"

Lucky nodded. "I sure hope so, now off with you. Go be a kid. Tell Cam I said hi, and that if his Mom has no objections, he can come to the Halloween Party at his Uncle Ethan's club, next weekend."

"Is it a costume party?" Nisida asked.

"Yes."

"Does he need a date?"

"That is up to him." Lucky said with a smile.

District Attorney Robert Scorpio walked into the Jerome Art Gallery at the Logan Hayes Veteran's Center with two large ice cream cones in his hands. Ava Jerome the owner of the gallery was at her desk on the phone wrapping up a sale. She looked at Scorpio and made a face. He smiled stupidly.

She finished the call and said. "You did not just come into an Art Gallery with an ice cream cone dripping all over the place?"

"Two Ice cream cones, luv one of them is for you." Robert said with a twinkle in his eye.

"There are valuable art pieces everywhere in here."

"All the more reason to eat it before it melts." He said holding the cone out to her.

She smiled as she got up from behind her desk and took the ice cream cone. "Come on at least we are going to eat these on the bench out front" Ava said trying but failing, to sound angry.

The pair walk to a small bench in front of the Gallery. "So, do you have an escort yet to the Halloween Party at Luke's?" Robert asked.

Ava shrugged "No but it is ten days away, do you know anyone who may wish to take me?"

"It is a costume party you know, and I was thinking if you were kind enough to accompany me, I may have a fun idea for a costume"

"Oh, what is that?" Ava said smiling.

Robert leaned in and whispered in her ear.

She began to laugh, "Oh yes we will be talked about. And we don't even need a costume shop just Wyndhams."

"Exactly" Robert said. He reached up and flipped some ice cream off of the side of Ava's lip. She looked at him and they both took a step forward. Robert leaned in and Kissed her.

"Hmmm seems my ice cream is not all that is melting" Ava said with a smile.

Robert was about to kiss her a second time when his phone buzzed. He looked. Held up a finger to Ava and said. "Your timing is terrible brother."

He paused. "I am on my way. I am about fifteen minutes from there."

He turned to Ava and said. "Duty always seems to call at the worse times Luv. I am so sorry.

Ava nodded. "Go. I will be here when you get back."

"I like that idea." He tossed his ice cream into a nearby trash bin and left.

The sun had set about an hour before in Paris. Drew and Serena sat patiently as Morley gathered his thoughts.

Serena noted that she and Drew had been awake for more than thirty-six hours, seems that basic training always paid off.

Morley on the other hand had gotten to their hotel room and passed out almost immediately. Colette the Vampire girl had slept at the foot of his bed.

Serena had wanted to ask him immediately about her sister Livvie, but she knew how those in the Vampire cult acted, this air of distain for humanity, the aloofness, if she went at him directly then he would shut down and she would get nothing.

Morley took a long sip of the very good red wine, that Drew had had sent up to the room and looked at Serena. "So, our sister never reached you?"

"No, was she coming to Saudi?"

Saudi Arabia was Serena's prior posting as a JAG officer. Now she was an adjunct JAG at Fort Drum New York, near her hometown of Port Charles and the Director of the Logan Hayes Veterans Center a joint US Army and Veterans Administration project named for her late brother.

Morley shook his head. "No, she did want to contact you, but we convinced her that the sun would not be good for her there, far too bright. "

"Of course, it is" Said Drew.

Morley looked at him as if were a sand worm. "She was going to travel through the Balkans and contact you from a coven that we know there."

"The Balkans are a big area" Serena said kindly.

"She was traveling between Albanian, Kosovar and Malkooth, along Prokletije, the Accursed Mountains" The Vampire leader paused and looked at Drew

"You do not believe do you Mister Cain?" Morley aked.

"No. I mean you no ill but no." Drew said.

"Yet you bear the name of he who had the mark first."

"The first Vampire was named Andrew?" Drew asked.

Morley ran his long fingernail across his own lips drawing a drop of blood which he tasted. "Cain, Sir. The first of our kind was Cain."

The door of the gallery had not completely closed behind Ava when the bells rang. She turned ice cream cone in hand to see Sonny Corinthos standing there.

Sonny had, had to keep himself from holding the door for Lilly and Karen. It sometimes took him a moment to remember that he was the only one who could see the ghosts which were not a standard part of his day.

"What do you want Sonny?" Ava snapped.

Sonny looked around the gallery "Very nice Ava."

"Thank you." Ava said. She took the last bite of ice cream and wiped her hands. "Are you here to buy something?"

"This is all too rich for my blood these days." Sonny said calmly.

"Well I hear your Construction Company is taking off."

He nodded. "Somewhat."

"Good"

Sonny kept walking around the gallery. While Ava watched. "Sonny get to the point; what is it you want?"

Sonny stood looking at the portrait of Karen that Franco had drawn for Scott which was still in the Gallery while Scott arranged a suitable place for it in his home. The portrait of Logan, Karen's brother would hang in the main lobby of the Center named after him.

"It looks just like me" Karen's ghost said. "He did a nice job. You can even see the joy you robbed from my face Sonny."

Sonny ignored her.

"Did you come here to stare at the girl you molested Sonny? I'm not sure Kevin and your therapist would find that healthy." Ava said.

Lilly placed a hand on Sonny's shoulder to soothe him. He turned slowly. "How is my daughter?"

"Safe, Happy and Cared for." Ava said,

"I want to see her."

Ava nodded. "Okay, have your lawyer talk to mine and we will arrange a Supervised visit."

"Do not try to take the moral high ground with me Ava. I know what you are."

"As does the court, and they still decided that was better for our little girl then a man who forces underage girls to be strippers."

Sonny nodded. "Fine, for now we will do this your way."

"Good then if there is nothing else. I'd like you to leave." Ava said.

"There are still some renovations to be done on this building, right?"

Ava sighed. "Yes, the top floor which is supposed to be a gym."

"I'd like to bid on it. A government contract will be helpful." Sonny said.

"Not my circus, not my monkey" Ava said. "That is between your company and the US Army."

"Serena Baldwin?" Sonny asked.

"You are going to want to stay away from my sister, Sonny" Karen's ghost said.

"Yes" said Ava. "But there is a process."

"Tell her I want this contract'

Ava shook her head. "It doesn't work that way Sonny."

"It does now." Sonny said as he opened the door to leave.

Lilly walked through the door behind him. Karen lingered for a moment. She walked over to Ava and smiled. Then vanished.

Carly Benson sat in the windowsill of the headquarters of Deception Fashion Design and Modeling. The new combined Fashion house that she and Maxie Jones had form. Maxie's designs and Carly's fashion models were beginning to get some small buzz. The models all former victims of sex trafficking, were Carly's personal project of redemption though she rarely let that thought enter her head any longer.

She had considered shutting the whole operation down when Nisida had betrayed her and given drugs to her daughter Josslyn and stepdaughter Kristina. But Maxie had come to her with some innovative ideas and Carly had to admit that she was interested in doing something.

Anything really. Her hotel was gone. Her marriage in shambles. Her child in Jax's custody and her best friend all but absent.

Jason, she spent a lot of time thinking about Jason.

She was thinking of him as she sat looking out the window. And she was thinking of him when he walked into the living room of Deception Headquarters.

"You called?" He said, "Are you all right?"

Michael Quartermaine had let his would-be cousin Charlie Holt cool his heels in the lobby for twenty minutes till the ELQ COO Ned Quartermaine and the new Director of Security Curtis Ashford could join him.

Now they were seated around a conference table as Charlie entered the room.

He smiled nicely and said. "Cousin, I hoped we could chat in a less formal setting." He held out his hand towards Ned.

Ned moved his head towards Michael. "He's the boss. This is Michael Quartermaine, our CEO."

Michael did not rise but shook Charlie's hand. "Thank you, Ned, but do not sell yourself short. Ned is our Chief Operating Officer."

Ned half rose and shook Charlie's hand. Ned pointed to Curtis who stood up and held out his hand. "This is Curtis Ashford our Director of Security."

"Ahh" said Charlie shaking Curtis' hand as they all sat down. "Not a Ward?"

"No, do I look like one?" Curtis said raising an eyebrow,

Charlie shrugged "I just thought since this was ELQ and the Wards are almost like members of the family."

Ned smiled. "The Wards are family. Always will be."

"What can we do for you Mr. Holt." Michael said.

Charlie grinned "Well first off let me be clear I am not here to dispute Edward's will, which disinherited my father."

Ned shook his head. "Disputing a will written by Edward Quartermaine would be the same as cutting down a redwood with a butter knife in any case."

"Still, the fact that Edward disinherited my father, while keeping other less desirable branches of the family is a testimony in and of itself of how darkened poor Grandfather's mind must have been towards the end,"

"Speak Quickly Holt, before I toss you from my office." Michael said.

"Ahh yes, I heard you had some PTSD, from the murder you committed for your adoptive father correct?"

"I could add to that number" Michael said. "Now what is it you want."

Charlie nodded "Very well, I am running for Governor and I believe it would be very wise for ELQ to support my candidacy."

The New Orleans Lazarus Ball is not a costume party but a New Orleans Dress Ball. Annie had seen perfect outfits in a store window, but the dresses were designed for a trio, so she had passed them up when it was just her and Terry, but now they had EMO.

The New Orleans Police had not been thrilled that she invoked the WSB to save her and EMO from having to answer their questions about Hilton Vandergeld, still they had no choice but to allow them to leave after Annie was kind enough to say that they had been there only to see the Art collection of the distant relative of a friend from Port Charles.

Less than an hour after the police arrived, they had caught up with Sinclair at the ferry dock and two hours later they had briefed Ethan and Terry on what had happened. Now they sat at Café Du Monde drinking café au lait and chatting.

"So, you think that Gray is going to stop off and go to this ball?" Terry had asked.

"Gray is insane." Said Sinclair. Then quickly added. "Or So I have been told."

"Buy who" Ethan asked.

"What?"

"Who told you he was insane?" Terry asked.

Annie really wanted to leave him out to dry but he was a possible WSB informant. So, she bailed him out. "I think Princess Pop-Tart made it pretty clear in her news article, after he tried to kill you and the clone."

"Drew is not a Clone" Said Sam seriously "And Molly is my sister not a Pop Tart."

"Princess Pop-Tart" Annie said smiling. Sam shook her head, this woman made Spinelli's nicknames sound endearing.

"Come on Ladies let's get dressed" Terry said. Annie nodded and turned to the men "You have tuxes, right?"

"At the room, said Ethan, with a New Orleans flair."

Sinclair sighed. "I will rent one."

As the women walked away, he turned to Ethan "Cousin could you possibly front me the money for a rental?"

Nisida and Cameron sat at a small table at Kelly's eating Greek burgers with Feta cheese and Zucchini fries.

"Man, the food in this place is so much better than it used to be" Cameron said.

Nisida smiled. "It will be even better when I start working here."

Cameron said. "So, my Dad said it was okay to go to Uncle Ethan's for Halloween and Mom and Franco said it was okay, so I guess we are going."

"We?" Nisida said with a smile.

Cameron lowered his head and looked at his plate "Yeah, I mean I kind of thought that maybe we could go together?"

Josslyn and Dev arrived at that moment and Joss said. "You are bringing her to Luke's Place for Halloween?"

"Joss, hi" said Cameron. He looked at Dev and nodded.

"Why would you ask her?" Joss said

Nisida sighed. "Cameron, I am going to go and talk to Rovena about my shift. Talk to your friends for a moment."

She nodded to Joss and Dev and began to walk away. "No" Said Cameron. "Don't go." He turned to Joss and said, "And what is your problem?"

Josslyn Jax was always torn. Her mind worked like her mothers on one level and like her father's on another. She was young at some point she would find the balance between the two but now she shifted back and forth like a pendulum on a string.

"She sold me drugs." Joss said.

"You took them Joss" Cameron said. "I know you were upset about Oscar, but Joss, Nisida didn't force you to buy than, and she was in a tough spot."

"Oh, what spot was that!" Josslyn said.

"Donal Hasanpapa would have killed me if I did not do what he asked." Nisida said.

"Joss, those were some pretty bad people, maybe we can give Nisi a break, for this, let her prove she has changed?" Dev said.

"Fine." Joss snapped. "I'm going to get a milk shake. Cameron can you help me pick a flavor" She said as she walked inside.

Cam stood for a moment. Nisida laughed. "Go, I'll be here. I want to talk to Dev anyway."

Cameron nodded and followed Joss inside.

"What do you want to talk to me about?" Dev asked concerned.

"I figured out what you did" Said Nisida.

"Madame Mayor" Anna Devane said with a big smile as she sat down across the mayor's desk from Laura Webber.

"Special Agent in Charge Devane" Laura responded with a smile.

The two women laughed a bit then Anna said, "Well now that we have established that we know each other's titles, how are you?"

Laura looked puzzled. "You know random WSB agents keep coming into my office asking me that, the other day it was Lucky. Today you. I suspect Annie will stop by next week."

"You had best get used to it, until we figure out why my sister kidnapped you, we will be sticking close."

"Are you any closer to finding out why?" Laura asked.

Anna shook her head no as a knock came at the door. Scotty Baldwin popped his head in. "Hey, I hope I am not interrupting anything, but Laura I need to talk to you about Jennifer Hutchinson."

"The girl who works for Brooke Bentley and Alexandria Quartermaine?" Anna asked.

"The girl who just spent the night at GH thinking she was Laura." Scotty said.

Lulu Falconeri and Elizabeth Webber Baldwin sat in Port Charles Park watching four of their children playing on the swings.

"I am so glad that Charlotte and Aidan have worked out their differences." Lulu said.

Elizabeth nodded. "She has made a lot of progress."

Lulu smirked. "Well, I do apologize for that Princess thing when we first got here."

Elizabeth Laughed. "Oh, please you don't remember the days when Nicholas first came to town and wanted us to call him Prince. Lucky would hum Purple Rain every time he walked into a room."

Lulu laughed. "I am glad I missed that. Aidan was so gracious with her though."

"I think Aidan likes the idea of having a cousin who is a Princess." Elizabeth said.

The two women sat for a moment silently. Then Lulu asked "So how are you doing? There have been a lot of changes around here the last few weeks."

"Aren't there always?" Elizabeth said.

"You and Soumia have gotten close' Lulu said. "I have not had a lot of time to interact with her."

"I like her a lot. Not only is she good for Lucky, she is just a good decent person in her own right. And a genius."

"If she is a genius why is she with Lucky?" Lulu said with a smile.

"He is so different now. "Elizabeth said. "Like she brings out in him the Lucky he was meant to be. He knows the mistakes he made; he owns them but doesn't dwell on them."

"I worry about the religious difference. I know the few times we have had dinner or coffee; I always feel like I need to watch what I say, or how I act." Lulu commented.

"Because of the Hijab?" Elizabeth said.

"Is that what it is called? I keep saying scarf."

"Look, I think that Soumia takes her faith very seriously, and truthfully who am I or you to judge that, it's not like we have had a lot of faith in a higher power in our lives. But she is also way cool and laid back, I mean she hangs out with Terry and I and Annie."

"Annie Donnelly?" Lulu said.

"Yes"

"Now her I don't like."

"Why?" Elizabeth said, "She is a hoot."

"I think she is being frivolous with Ethan."

"I think they are frivolous with each other, and I think it suits them. You know they are in New Orleans right now right, with Terry?"

"Yes, I am watching the Club for Ethan along with his new manager Donald. They are down there booking acts for the club."

Elizabeth laughed. "Yeah that is what they say."

Lulu gave an uneasy laugh. When had she become so uptight, she thought? As a young woman she had been rebellious and defiant. Now things like this, which were really none of her business bothered her. Had she married too young? Had children before she was really ready? She had never finished college, barely finished High School and now she was in a career where she was consistently over her head. Her own insecurity about her ability to do her job manifest itself as a kind of holier than thou attitude towards everyone around her. She wanted to be an adventurer like her Father and an Earth Mother like her Mom, instead she was neither. Lucky had, had the same problems for many years. The man had been addicted to drugs and basically a hard luck loser who was cuckold by their own brother. And yet now he seemed confident and sure, as if finding the right job, and the right mentor, in this case Robert Scorpio of all people had uplifted Lucky's abilities.

And there was this woman, Soumia. Lulu wanted to like her. Just like she wanted to like Annie Donnelly, just like she desperately wanted to make amends with Serena. But she could find no way to talk with them.

Her circle of women friends had narrowed down to Maxie, and when she thought about it, she did not have a single male friend. How had she become this devoid?

Elizabeth was keeping one eye on Lulu and one on the kids and so did not see her Uncle Tom Hardy approach the bench where she and Lulu sat.

"Excuse me. Hi Lulu, it is good to see you again, Liz, can I speak with you for a moment?" Tom Asked.

Dev looked at Nisida "What do you mean?"

"Do not play stupid with me, you were the one who gave Shehu all the information on Sonny and Jason."

Dev began to say no then looked at the girl. "You don't understand I had no choice." He started to say something else, but she held up her hand.

"Of course, I understand you idiot." Nisida said. "I know exactly what it is like to have no choice. I am not judging you. I am just letting you know that I know and asking that you keep my secret as I will keep yours."

"Meaning?'

Nisida looked into the diner. "Cameron, he knows I sold drugs, he knows I was at Carly's house. He does not know the details, nor does Joss. They do not need to know how long I was a prostitute, how many men there were, the awful things I did, and had done to me." She teared up and little.

Dev patted her shoulder. "They have had a golden life. We have had it hard. We deserve the chance to have the same. I am your friend. Your secret is safe with me. I promise."

She smiled at him as Joss and Cameron came out from Kelly's.

Joss walked over to Nisida. "Cameron reminded me that my Father has forgiven you and said to give you a second chance. I love both my parents. I really do. But in the way I treat people I want to be more like my Dad. "

Nisida reached out and pulled Joss into a hug. "Thank you."

Joss whispered. "You are welcome. But we need to talk away from the boys. You are fine with me and safe from Sonny, but Kristina is not going to be as forgiving. "

"So" Said Cameron. "Are you guys going to the Halloween Party at Luke's?"

"You want us to do what?" Ned asked Charlie

"I want ELQ to endorse my candidacy for Governor." Holt said flatly.

Ned wanted to laugh. The last candidate that ELQ had endorsed was Bobby Kennedy and this guy, cousin or not was no Bobby Kennedy.

"It is not ELQ policy to endorse any candidate. Our board, our employees and our family, vote their conscious "

Holt pursed his lip. "I hope you reconsider. As you may have heard my opponent is likely to be Roy ward."

Michael looked at Ned who was more attuned to politics then he was. Ned smiled. "Yes, I spoke to Roy several months ago, he is well aware of the company policy of not endorsing political candidates, truth be told Mr. Holt, ELQ did not even support me when I ran for Mayor. I'm not even sure they all voted for me."

"ELQ was in a different position in this city then, Cousin" Charlie Holt said. "Corporately you have recently turned a large amount of the company resources into fiscal projects here in the city and state."

"So?" Michael asked.

"Basically Michael, the company now has far more actual employees within the city limits. There will be union support and if the unions think that you are somehow supporting the wrong candidate."

Michael cut him off "As I said we will not support any candidate. The unions are free to endorse who they wish."

"That may be Michael" Charlie Holt said. "But let us be frank, many of the union workers especially those on the docks whose families are being replaced, or those residents who are looking for jobs which are currently occupied by those invading our country may not see ELQ as impartial given Edward's Colorful history."

Curtis coughed. Ned looked at Michael, who gave the nod to his older cousin. "Yes, My Grandfather did have a colorful history: He was a veteran of World War II, he marched across the Bridge in Birmingham with Dr. King, he was a capitalist through and through but more than anything he was a humanitarian."

"And he had an illegitimate child with the Grandmother of the opposition candidate."

Michael laughed. "You will find that attempting to run against the memory if Mother Mary Mae Ward in this town may work against you Mr. Holt."

Holt shook his head. "Young cousin, I don't care about this town, I care about the nearby suburbs, I care about those on the surrounding farms, I care about those who may not think that such big city liberalism as disinheriting one side of your family but embracing the dark secret of another side is proper."

You did not need to know him well to know that underneath the corporate veneer of Michael Quartermaine the trigger temper of Michael Corinthos was just a heartbeat away. Every muscle on Michael's back tensed. The veins in his neck throbbed. Barely, just barely Michael Quartermaine held sway. He looked at Curtis and said.

"Curtis, as our Director of Corporate Security could you escort Mr. Holt out of the building and make sure he is not welcome back into it?"

Curtis got up with a smile. "My pleasure."

"No need I will go on my own" Holt said. "You will regret this."

Michael smiled. "No, we won't. Curtis, make sure he goes."

Michael strode out of the room as Curtis took Holt lightly by the elbow and led him out.

Ned sat in the conference room for a moment then got up and walked over to the picture of Edward. He knew politics far better than Michael. He also knew Edward far better. Ned had grown up under his wing. Michael had been kept away until near the end of the old man's life. Ned knew all of the old man's well and all of his ill

He gently touched the frame of the picture. "Leave it to you Grandfather, even when you have done the right thing, it causes trouble."

Ned swore he heard the old man laugh.

Carly turned and looked at the man who had long been her best friend. For decades she had prided herself on knowing Jason better than anyone. Now he looked more like a stranger than he had when Drew had replaced him.

"What are you thinking breaking up with Sam and taking up with that girl? She asked aggressively.

"What are you thinking being here instead of at home with Sonny?" He asked in return.

"No, No. That is so wrong. Jason does not do that. He does not turn things in a conversation." Carly snapped. "What is going on with you?"

Jason was confused. He was changing, it was as if being away from the toxic world that he and Sonny and Carly had inhabitant for so long his mind was wiring itself. In was not just being distant from the criminal activity, though he admitted that was a part of it. It was also being removed from the idea that there were people who could do no wrong. Sonny had made mistakes. Once his mind had accepted that than it somehow had become easier for Jason to see Carly's mistakes and his own.

Trying to rekindle things with Sam after having been away for five years had been a mistake. He loved her. He did not doubt that but in those five years she had changed. She had nearly married Patrick Drake, the highly intellectual straight arrow doctor could not have been more different than Jason. Sam had also been involved with Drew, who while he thought at that time, he was Jason, was much more a Quartermaine then a Morgan. Sam had separated herself and her children from Sonny's world and the hazards of it.

When they reunited it seemed, now to him as if they had both regressed as people, trying to reset a clock that had moved on. It had never occurred to Jason that he could love Sam and not be with her. He copied back emotions, due to his brain damage, and Sam loved him. So, he copied back. Now he was starting to see that they had copied back a love that was five years old.

He did not think that he was in love with Rovena yet, or that she was in love with him. They were falling in love. This too was odd to Jason. His world was filled with almost spontaneous love. It seemed to be an illness in Port Charles. Even good upright cops like Harrison Chase and teachers like Willow Tait seemed to be deeply in love after just two or three dates. Relationships that took years to develop, even months were rare. Nathan was barely cold in the ground before Maxie began to date Peter. The ink was not dried on Lulu and Dante's divorce before she was dating again. No one it seemed took their time.

So, taking his time with Rovena was different. And Jason found he liked the difference.

"I am changing" Jason said to Carly finally answering her.

"Well stop." Demanded Carly.

"Aren't you changing though. What went on with Sonny shook us all. Look at you running a modeling agency and being, what a den mother to these girls? You are different."

"But I am still finding my way back to Sonny. As you should be to Sam."

"Why?"

"What do you mean why? You are Jason and Sam, Jasam, together a unit. "

"I was a unit with Courtney, and Robin. I changed. That changed."

"And this girl?"

"Rovena?"

'Yes, what is she some port in a storm? What do you really know about her expect that she almost got you killed by Shehu?"

Jason shook his head. Carly was still speaking the language of months ago before they all had had to confront their sins. "It was us, Sonny and I, and you calling me back here, that put Rovena in danger from Shehu, and then she saved herself and truthfully all of us."

"I feel like I am losing my best friend." Carly cried.

Jason tried on his new more reflective personality. "When I first well became me. I remember that Lucky Spencer always use to hang out with his cousin Sly. You remember? The whole worm farm thing."

"What? Jason what are you saying?"

"Anyway, I saw Sly the other day. I really did not remember him. It had been years since I saw him, because while Lucky stayed in our circle, Sly had moved on. They were not best friends anymore."

"They were children. You and I, you and Sonny have been best friends forever."

Jason shook his head. "No. I am not Sonny's best friend. I am his partner; he is like a brother to me. But he is the senior partner, the older brother. Best Friends are equal. Luke and Sonny are best friends. "

"And you and I?" Carly said.

"I am still working on that." Jason admitted.

Soumia came up the stairs from her lab and into the Kitchen. As she fixed herself a cup of tea, she could hear Lucky talking to himself in the living room. She stood by the swinging door and listened for a moment, then put her hand over her mouth and giggled.

She walked into the Living room and said, "Who are you talking to?"

"Rocks" Lucky said smiling.

She came over to him and hugged him "You said you wouldn't do that anymore."

"I was saying good-bye"

"To the rocks that are not even in the room?" Soumia asked.

Lucky looked at her. There were dark lines under her eyes, too much time working, too much time in front of a computer screen. The hoodie she wore, it's cowls down since they were alone, was old and worn, green and maroon with MIT plastered across the front. Her black jeans were, in the Arab style just a tad too tight. She wore heels, because she was either barefoot or in heels. Sneakers were for working out, nothing else. She was a year older than him, and quantumly smarter. So beautiful his heart hurt looking at her.

"When you have messed up as often as I have the rocks are always in the room."

"Everyone makes mistakes Love."

"Yes, but most people try not to wallow in them" Lucky said with a smile. "It was not till I met you that I realized that all the yesterdays only counted as time on a clock till you were here."

"Ahh that is so sweet" She said laughing. She kissed him lightly.

"You know" He said. "I was planning on some grand romantic moment, A candle lit dinner, A carriage ride. Something that screams romance. Or maybe some silly adventure, mountain climbing or sky diving. Something that would make this a memorial moment."

"This?" Soumia said knowing full well what this is.

"Truth is though, we will have all that romance, and adventure. We work for an espionage agency; I think adventure is part of the job description. But as much as I want to share that with you. It is this, the quite part of life that I love sharing with you best."

"Does this mean we are getting the dog?" She said trying to not laugh or cry.

Lucky fished in his pocket and took out a box. "In this town my parents wrote the book on the Romantic-Adventure love story. Luke and Laura are legendary. But you know what they could not do?"

"No"

"They could not do the living of life. And for the longest time I thought I was the same way. But I have spent a year now, in France and here, having breakfast with you each day, doing our laundry, shopping for food, watching TV, trying to get you past level one of Assassins Creed, just living our life"

"Stupid game hates me."

Lucky opened the box and took the diamond ring out.

"OH, Lucky it is beautiful."

"My father had it cast for my Mother right before she had her break down and their relationship ended once and for all. He never gave it to her. I am glad he didn't. It was cast from romance, and from Adventure. The diamond is the last remaining piece of the Ice Princess."

"Amirat aljalid" Soumia said in Arabic.

"So, in it is adventure. In it is romance. And in us is the ability to face the day to day. To grow old together to watch the sunrise and the sunset for a three thousand days and beyond. "

"Lucky"

Lucky got down on one knee and held the ring up. "Soumia Al-Fayheed, with the blessing of Allah, and in His will, would you do me the honor of being my wife, from today until the last sunset of eternity?"

Soumia sank to her knees and hugged Lucky. "It is about time" She said as she kissed him.


End file.
